The West Chicago Garden Club

Huge success! That is our view of the August 1st Secret Garden and Posey Mosey event. We estimate that 300 guests enjoyed the gardens and goodies. Thank you to all who baked and volunteered your time. There were many things to be done but your generosity and talents really made a difference! Please take a bow for ‘job well done’. Thanks again, you are a wonderful group to work with.

Well, August weather certainly delivered the ‘dog days of summer’! It was so hot some days that working outside was next to impossible. Just the kind of conditions that make you ponder the meaning of ‘dog days’. Here is what wikianswers.com has to say.

‘The dog days were the days when the Dog Star, Sirius, rose just before sunrise. Ancient Romans believed that the hot days of late summer were caused by the Dog Star, and thought that dogs went mad during this time (also that wine spoiled, people became hysterical, and seas boiled!). So a dog day afternoon would be the afternoon of one of the very hot, sticky days at the end of summer”. The specific days that were traditionally referred to as the Dog Days of Summer were from July 3 to August 11. Continue Reading »

Many compliments were paid to the lilies of the Kruse Garden this past month!  The warm pink L.A. (longiflorum-asiatic) hybrid named Algarve, located by the front door especially garnered a lot of attention. It could easily be seen from the street on drive by and was magnificently showcased by the brilliant yellow of the Mary Todd daylily in the foreground!  What a stunning display it was!  This L.A. lily is as sturdy as a young tree with abundant flowers that hold up well and have fragrance of raspberries and roses.  It is the second year for this rock star and we hope it keeps performing for many years to come. 

Cultivation of lilies in this country is recorded as early as 1654 by Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Massachusetts and the popularity of the genus never fades. From natives to cutting edge hybrids they provide breathtaking displays of color, form, and fragrance!  It’s not too early to prepare your shopping list for ‘must have’ lilies to plant this fall.  Anyone interested in a group order?  Let Billie know by the end of July if you are. Continue Reading »

The Kruzies have been crazy busy with the plant sale but somehow we still found time to tend the Kruse Garden.  Just a reminder, we are there routinely on Monday mornings and you are fondly invited to join us if you can.  If the weather is ‘iffy’ give one of us a call to make sure what our plans are.  There are always fun jobs to do and the satisfaction of results will guarantee you’ll leave with a smile on your face and a song in your heart! 

Have you heard the good news?  Kruse House Museum & Garden was featured in the May/June issue of Chicagoland Gardening Magazine!  You will find the article on page 14 as the first of the Regional Reports. If you don’t subscribe, stop by the library and check it out.  Author Betty Earl, writer, photographer, and lecturer from Naperville did a great job of informing readers about the extensive garden and West Chicago Garden Club’s role over the past 11 years tending this charming garden.  It’s an honor to have recognition for our project and the Kruzies are even more enthused about making a beautiful garden!  Continue Reading »